COLÁISTE Pobail Bheanntraí’s trailblazing U14 boys and girls teams made history by winning their championships for the first-time ever in the highest grade of Irish schools’ basketball.
Throughout the 14-year history of Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí there have been many regional and national titles won at the lower grades, which had eventually seen the school promoted to the A grade.
The Bantry school was in the unique position of having both U14 boys and girls in their respective finals in Neptune Stadium.
Spurred on by a massive Bantry support, the boys saw off the challenge of Coláiste Choilm Ballincollig to take the Basketball Ireland Post-Primary Schools South title. The girls’ team followed and also took the title with a commanding win over Carrigaline Community School. Both Bantry teams now advance to the Basketball Ireland PPS U14 All-Ireland tournaments which will be held at the University of Limerick on the weekend of May 10th and 11th.
Each of the groups are packed with excellent Bantry club players, Cork players and Basketball Ireland Regional Academy players and will be a force to be reckoned with over the next six years of schools’ basketball. The girls’ team is coached by Frances Lane while the boys are coached by Pat Curran.
The Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí U14 boys’ squad includes Michael Hayden, Eoin T McCarthy, Harry Curran, Donnacha Cronin-Murphy, Eoghan Dullea, Charlie Downey, Conor O'Mahony, Alex Cronin, Dylan Barry, Calvin O’Brien and Callum Connolly. The Bantry school’s victorious U14 girls’ squad includes Anna Russell, Rebecca O’Connor, Aine Courcey, Katie Cronin, Kacey Cotter, Emily Conlon, Callie O’Donoghue, Caragh McCarthy, Kate O’Sullivan, Alex Manning and Caoimhe Hurley.
